Harbor commissioner Stapleton to run for council

Newport Beach Harbor Commissioner Joseph Stapleton announced Thursday that he will run for City Council.

Stapleton, 29, plans to seek the District 1 seat held by termed-out Councilman Mike Henn in the November 2014 election.

He is the first to put in a bid for the territory that represents and area that includes West Newport, the Balboa Peninsula, The Wedge and Lido Isle, according to City Clerk Leilani Brown.

In addition to serving on the Harbor Commission since June, Stapleton is the vice chairman for the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He's been a member of the chamber since 2008. He is also a senior financial advisor for Signature Resources.

"My whole culpa is to keep Newport, Newport," he said.

Stapleton, a registered Republican, has lived on the Peninsula for nearly seven years and wants to see improvement in areas like Marina Park and Balboa Village.

"There are so many areas that we can kind of clean up and change," he said.

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He has also served on committees for the OC Marathon, the Pacific Arts Foundation, Leadership Tomorrow and is a member of Fourth of July is For Families, OC Young Republicans and West Newport Beach Assn.

Stapleton graduated from the University of Arizona in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in business finance and entrepreneurship and serves on the alumni association's board of directors.

Along with Henn, District 4 Councilwoman Leslie Daigle and District 6 Councilwoman Nancy Gardner will be termed out in 2014.

Fight promoter Roy Englebrecht and Newport Beach Planning Commissioner Tim Brown both announced bids for District 4 while Michael Toerge plans to run in District 6, according to Daily Pilot archives.

Mayor Pro Tem Rush Hill plans to seek reelection.

The elections are still more than a year away and those who have announced their plans will not officially become candidates until July 2014, according to the city clerk.